fortenberry, my colleague, has outlined. if we haven't put it in the record already, i'd like to include that executive summary, mr. speaker, if we do could do that in which the actions that constitute general sight are detailed in this executive report and i certainly would commends, like the gentleman did, that people look at this detailed report and i would ask that the press cover this. i ask unanimous consent to enter the executive summary from this report for the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mrs. comstock: mr. speaker, the law does state that the president shall consider what actions can be taken to ensure that those who are responsible for genocide are brought to account for such crimes in an appropriate constituted tribunal. further, president is required to develop a clear strategy to stop these organizations based on the most recent iteration of the national defense authorization act that was passed in november. as i mentioned earlier, since his retirement from congress, my predecessor, congr

there was the fortenberry amendment that passed unanimously monday and that built pressure.here was the press conference we had last week with the knights of columbus for its report and that old pressure. the european parliament in january past with strong socialist support, a resolution also calling for the designation of genocide on behalf of the european parliament for christians and other minorities. all of that was building pressure and that's why there was this delay or the state department would have just declared a genocide back in october. that would have been the end of it. that would have been very hurtful for the other minorities. basically, by so -- by selecting one, you are excluding the others by implication. why are they reluctant to do it? there are layers of reasons. one was the ostensible reason that they said it's because they did not think isis -- they think isis respects christians as people. that's basically their stated reason. the second layer may be that -- they don't want to -- feed enemy propaganda that this is a crusader war by sticking up for ch

fortenberry. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. fortenberry: let me thank my colleague and good friend, chris smith from new jersey, for his tireless efforts, a whole broad spectrum of assaults on humanity trying to assault the conscience. thank you for coordinating this effort and speaking favorably and thanks to ranking member engel. i need to also, because she's not here thank representative eshoor -- eshoo. we see anger, and gridlock. what we have before us is a transpartisan resolution. it has risen above the petty and difficult differences that we work out here on the floor of the house of representatives. risen above it because of its essential nature. not only is there a grave injustice helping to the people in the middle east and religious minorities who have a right to be in their homeland as anyone else, but this is a threat against civilization itself. hen a group of people, isis, try tore exterminate another group of people simply because of their faith and tradition, iolating the sacred space of individuality, conscio

fortenberry for their leadership on this issue. i also want to thank the knights of columbus and all those organizations and leaders around the world who have spoken out on this. this makes a different. their efforts in speaking out against genocide is making a different. but now that our government is recognizing this crisis, it needs to do more to stop it. i hope the president will seize this opportunity to present a very clear strategy to defeat this enemy and to all those brave people who are being persecuted, i would simply like to say this. we will stand with you, we will pray for you, and we will work every day to put these words into action. thank you. >> speaker ryan, my friend john harwood -- mr. ryan: i wasn't trying to. >> but to clarify, i want to make sure, in the event that no person running for the republican nominee right now gets enough on the first ballot, that you will unequivocally not -- mr. ryan: it is not me. i didn't think i made news. i thought i was pretty clear to be candid with you. i saw boehner last n

one resolution by jeff fortenberry states that isis is committing genocide against christians and other religious minorities. in every resolution by chris smith, that condemns the gross human rights violations of the aside regime, these are difficult subjects. that is why we need to take these steps, and in syria and iraq, christians are being executed. churches and holy sites being destroyed. children are being enslaved. the obama administration is still not ready to say that isis andy aside regime are committing crimes against humanity. we are. we are ready to say this. we need to recognize these atrocities with clear eyes. we need to continue to pray for the persecuted. second, the obama administration is in the final stages of preparing so-called fiduciary role. this would raise costs and limit options for people seeking advice on a retirement plan. this could hurt millions of middle-class savers. we have already passed a bill in the house to delay this rule, and we have passed bills into committees laying out return. when the bill comes down, we will be ready to do what we can to p

congressman jeff fortenberry who authored house resolution on genocide says is he hopeful it will allowple to resettle safely into their home lands where the diverse religious groups had once helped to provide stability, bret. >> shannon, thank you. russian president vladimir putin says it would only take a few hours for him to build up his military in syria. putin announced earlier this week he would begin a drawdown but russia intends to maintain, he said, a strong military presence in syria. the top man at the pentagon is making his strongest comments yet about iran's capture and detention of american sailors in january. the sailors were detained for 16 hours. iran then released video showing them on their knees, crying. and apologizing. defense secretary ash carter said today on capitol hill that iran's action made him extremely angry. >> i made clear that iran's actions were outrageous, unprofessional, and inconsistent with international law. and nothing we have learned about the circumstances of this incident since then changes that fact.7 >> carter says he has made no specific re

congressman jeff fortenberry who authored house resolution on genocide says is he hopeful it will allowple to resettle safely into their home lands where the diverse religious groups had once helped to provide stability, bret. >> shannon, thank you. russian president vladimir putin says it would only take a few hours for him to build up his military in syria. putin announced earlier this week he would begin a drawdown but russia intends to maintain, he said, a strong military presence in syria. the top man at the pentagon is making his strongest comments yet about iran's capture and detention of american sailors in january. the sailors were detained for 16 hours. iran then released video showing them on their knees, crying. and apologizing. defense secretary ash carter said today on capitol hill that iran's action made him extremely angry. >> i made clear that iran's actions were outrageous, unprofessional, and inconsistent with international law. and nothing we have learned about the circumstances of this incident since then changes that fact.7 >> carter says he has made no specific re

that includes gop congressman jeff fortenberry who authored the house resolution unanimously passed mondayht which they chose to label the isis violence against religious minorities as genocide. >> this is an assault on human dignity and attack on principles of civilization itself. secretary kerry used full authority of united states government and spoken with moral clarity and i'm very grateful. reporter: that house vote, massive report by two groups who have been tracking scores of witness survivor accounts of rapes, kidnappings, tortures and killing may be final push for the state department. kerry also doesn't have a perfect window to exactly what is happening to the region he has seen enough. it is time to call it genocide. >> it is entire world view is based on eliminating those who do not subscribe to its perverse ideology? there is no question in my mind, that if daesh succeeded in establishing its zoo called caliphate, it would seek to destroy what remains of ethnic, religious mosaic once thriving in the region. reporter: the authors of the report on the violence are commending se

you look at our bill from jeff fortenberry or chris smith, what's happened in syria, we want a war crimest to label what this is so this never happens and should not happen. and someone has to stand up. bill: from what i read, the deadline is thursday, march 17th. >> why does the house have to act when everybody sees this is what's happening? but we will if the state department won't. so today on the floor you will see this bill pass the floor. bill: kevin mccarthy, thank you for your time. nice to see you back in new york. catch up with you real soon. thanks. martha: so 99 delegates up for grabs in florida's winner-take-all republican primary, 246 delegates divvied up tomorrow evening on the democratic side. which way the vote will go is anybody's guess, but it could all come down to voter turnout once again. steve harrigan joins from miami. we understand we could see a historic turnout tomorrow. what are the voters saying? >> reporter: there's really been some record turnout so far among early voting in florida. some counties are talking about three or four times as many as early voters

can find hope in this new transpartisan excue men call alliance against isis' barbaric onslaught, fortenberry, co-chair of the religious minorities of the middle east caucus and represents america's largest yazidi community. -- community said in the statement. so the measure received the backing of the house republican leadership. pall ryan calling on -- calling on the obama administration to take action in light of recent attacks against christians. the article goes on, from foxnews.com, indicates that it's rare for congress to make a genocide determination but in addition to the genocide resolution, the house is expected to vote on a measure creating an international tribunal to try isis members accused of atrocities. mr. speaker, it is pleasing to report that this house congressional resolution 75 expressing the sense of congress that the atrocities perpetrated isil, the islamic state and it's used different names, isil, isis, against religious and ethnic minorities in iraq and syria include war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. 393 yeas and zero nays. it's deeply troubling th